Sunday, August 23, 1998
Sunday, August 23, 1998
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD
God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the
garden'?" (Genesis 3:1
NRSV)
The Tempter in the Garden of Eden was a serpent. From the first pages of the Bible we are
introduced to the way sin comes into our lives. It slips in and grabs a quiet foothold before we are
aware of it. Temptation slips up on us before we recognize the seriousness of what's happening.
Someone has put it this way: "Who's there," I cried, "A little lonely sin." "Enter," I said, "Then all
hell broke lose."
There is something about the very nature of temptation that not only makes it initially attractive,
but keeps us coming back for more. Even when the initial thrill is gone we find ourselves mired in
the muck of our own worst instincts.
It's sort of like a incident some time ago on the Enterprise ride at the Minnesota State Fair.
Riders boarded their little cars on the Enterprise to be spun around at high speed for about four
minutes. Being dizzy and scared is apparently something for which people will pay money.
The ride, however, ceased to operate properly and could not be stopped for about 20 minutes.
When people were finally rescued from their thrill, all were sick and some were taken to the
hospital.
There is something exciting about certain areas that the Bible tells us to avoid, but the excitement
is an emotion we feel when we get on the ride, not when we get off.
Prayer: Loving God, forgive me for giving in to sin. Help me to have a healthy spiritual
life by living your way. Amen.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA